Systems and methods for bi-directional, reverse, and cooperative charging of electric vehicles

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for charging electric vehicles and for bi-directional, reverse, and cooperative charging of electric vehicles.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims benefit and priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to, and is a Continuation of, U.S. patent Ser. No. 17/306,776 filedon May 3, 2021 and titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CHARGING ELECTRICVEHICLES”, which itself claims benefit and priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 17/012,325 filed on Sep. 4, 2020 and titled“SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CHARGING ELECTRIC VEHICLES UTILIZING ATOUCH-SENSITIVE INTERFACE”, which issues as U.S. Pat. No. 10,998,753 onMay 4, 2021 and which itself claims benefit and priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/848,017 filed on Dec. 20, 2017 and titled“SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CHARGING ELECTRIC VEHICLES UTILIZING ATOUCH-SENSITIVE INTERFACE”, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,819,135 onOct. 27, 2020 and which itself claims benefit and priority to U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/502,041 filed on Jul. 13, 2009 and titled“SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING AND POWER MANAGEMENT”which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,853,488 on Dec. 26, 2017 and whichitself claims benefit and priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/134,646 filed Jul. 11, 2008,entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION FOR CHARGING ELECTRICVEHICLES”, the entirety of each of which is incorporated by referenceherein for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

Improvements in battery technology provide the potential of economicallyviable electric-powered modes of transportation including, but notlimited to, automobiles, motorcycles, buses, etc. One oft cited drawbackof such electrical vehicles is the need to plug them in regularly toreplenish their electrical charge. First, such charging will likelyrequire more time than is typically required to fill up an automobilewith a petroleum based product. As a result, the owner of an electricalautomobile must often times adhere to a schedule of charging thatrenders the automobile unusable for protracted stretches of time. Inaddition, there exists a resistance to performing the act of plugging inan automobile and subsequently unplugging the vehicle in order tomaintain a charged vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An understanding of embodiments described herein and many of theattendant advantages thereof may be readily obtained by reference to thefollowing detailed description when considered with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments;

FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram of a system according to someembodiments;

FIG. 6 is a perspective diagram of a system according to someembodiments;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of an exemplary interface according to someembodiments;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments;

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments; and

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I. Introduction

Applicant has recognized that, in some situations, it may beadvantageous to intelligently charge vehicles. In some embodiments, forexample, intelligent vehicle charging may comprise receiving (e.g., froma vehicle sensor) information indicative of a presence of a vehicle in aparking space. Intelligent charging may also or alternatively comprisereceiving (e.g., from a communication device) information indicative ofan identifier of the vehicle, determining, based at least on theinformation indicative of the identifier of the vehicle, a chargingschedule for the vehicle, and/or charging, in accordance with thecharging schedule, the vehicle.

Applicant has also recognized that, in some situations, it may beadvantageous to provide intelligent quantitative load balancing forvehicle charging. In some embodiments, for example, intelligentquantitative load balancing for vehicle charging may comprisedetermining an estimated amount of power required to charge a pluralityof vehicles to desired levels. Intelligent quantitative load balancingfor vehicle charging may also or alternatively comprise providing (e.g.,via a communication device), to a Power Supplying Entity (PSE),information indicative of the required power, receiving (e.g., via thecommunication device), from the PSE, information indicative of a timewhen a best available rate will be available to purchase the requiredpower, and/or charging, at the indicated time and via a plurality ofvehicle charging devices, the plurality of vehicles.

Applicant has further recognized that, in some situations, it may beadvantageous to provide intelligent qualitative load balancing forelectrical loads (e.g., vehicle charging). In some embodiments, forexample, intelligent qualitative load balancing for electrical loads maycomprise determining an electrical load that requires electrical power,determining a plurality of available sources of electrical power,determining a characteristic of each of the plurality of availablesources of power, selecting, based at least in part on the determinedcharacteristics of the plurality of available sources of power, one ormore of the available sources of power, and/or activating at least oneof electrical switch to cause electrical power from the selected one ormore of the available sources of power to be provided to the electricalload.

II. Terms and Definitions

Throughout the description that follows and unless otherwise specified,the following terms may include and/or encompass the example meaningsprovided in this section. These terms and illustrative example meaningsare provided to clarify the language selected to describe embodimentsboth in the specification and in the appended claims, and accordingly,are not intended to be limiting.

Some embodiments described herein are associated with a “Power SupplyingEntity (PSE)”. As used herein, the terms “power supplying entity” and“PSE” may generally be utilized interchangeably and may generally referto any entity (e.g., person, company, and/or organization or group) thatis associated with the generation and/or provision, transmission,storage, and/or conversion of electrical energy. A PSE device maycomprise any type of device associated with such generation and/orprovision, transmission, storage, and/or conversion of electricalenergy. Examples of PSE devices may include, but are not limited to, apower generation unit (e.g., a gas, coal, oil, biomass, and/or solarboiler and/or generator), a power generation facility (e.g., ahydroelectric facility), electric transmission lines, a transformerand/or inverter, a battery, a meter, and/or a capacitor.

Some embodiments described herein are associated with an “ElectricCharging System (ECS)”. As used herein, the terms “electric chargingsystem” and “ECS” may generally be utilized interchangeably and maygenerally refer to any combination of hardware, software, firmware,and/or microcode that is operative to conduct, manage, schedule, and/orotherwise facilitate the charging of one or more vehicles. As utilizedin some embodiments, an ECS may comprise a system configured to charge aplurality of vehicles (such as electric and/or hybrid-electric vehicles)parked in a parking lot and coupled to accept (e.g., from the ECS and/ora component thereof) electrical power. In some embodiments, suchvehicles may be coupled to accept electrical power from an ECS in awired and/or wireless fashion.

As used herein, the term “electric vehicle” may generally refer to anyvehicle that utilizes, stores, and/or provides electrical power (e.g.,buses, trains, cars, semi-trucks, ships, submarines, aircraft, dirtbikes, All Terrain Vehicles (ATV), scooters, and/or lawn mowers). Almostall typical vehicles comprise a battery, for example, and would thusqualify as “electric vehicles”. Similarly, the term “electric car” asutilized herein may generally refer to any electric vehicle that maysuitably be described as a car. This may include, in some embodiments,passenger cars of any size or class or configuration, passenger truckssuch as pickup trucks, vans, etc. Some embodiments are more specificallydirected to and/or may be particularly advantageously applied to certaintypes or classes of electric vehicles and/or electric cars.Electric-drive vehicles or “True Electric Cars (TEC)”, for example,comprise a class of vehicles that derive power (and thus motion) byutilizing one or more electric motors. Some electric-drive vehicles maystore energy for powering such motors in one or batteries (the typicalconfiguration for a TEC). Some electric-drive vehicles may insteadutilize power obtained from operation of a small internal combustionengine, fuel cell, or the like. This class of vehicle is typicallyreferred to as a “hybrid” electric vehicle.

Some embodiments described herein are associated with a “controlsystem”. As used herein, the term “control system” may generally referto any combination of hardware, software, firmware, and/or microcodethat is operative to carry out and/or facilitate embodiments describedherein. For example, a control system may comprise a processorperforming instructions of a program to facilitate intelligent vehiclecharging. The control system may comprise, according to someembodiments, a single device and/or component or may comprise anypracticable number of networked devices.

Some embodiments described herein are associated with a “networkdevice”. As used herein, the term “network device” may generally referto any device that can communicate via a network. Examples of networkdevices include a PC, a workstation, a server, a printer, a scanner, afacsimile machine, a copier, a PDA, a storage device (e.g., a diskdrive), a hub, a router, a switch, and a modem or a wireless phone. Insome embodiments, network devices may comprise one or more networkcomponents, such as a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) device ormodule, a network processor, and/or a network communication path,connection, port, or cable. Some examples of network devices mayinclude, but are not limited to, servers or controllers, customerdevices, vehicles and/or vehicle components, input devices, outputdevices, and peripheral devices.

As used herein, the terms “server” and “controller” may be usedinterchangeably and may generally refer to any device that maycommunicate with one or more vehicles, PSE devices, ECS devices, one ormore third-party servers, one or more remote controllers, one or morecustomer devices, one or more peripheral devices and/or other networknodes, and may be capable of relaying communications to and/or from eachsuch device. A controller or server may, for example, comprise one ormore network devices and/or components.

Some embodiments described herein are associated with an “input device”.As used herein, the term “input device” may generally refer to anydevice that is used to receive or process input. An input device maycommunicate with and/or be part of another device (e.g., a wagering gamedevice). Some examples of input devices include, but are not limited to:a button, a key, one or more softkeys and/or variable function inputdevices, a bar-code scanner, a magnetic stripe reader, a computerkeyboard, a pointing device (e.g., a computer mouse, touchpad, and/ortrackball), a point-of-sale terminal keypad, a touch-screen, amicrophone, an infrared sensor, a sonic ranger, a computer port, a videocamera, a motion detector, an accelerometer, a thermometer, a digitalcamera, a network card, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, a GlobalPositioning System (GPS) receiver, a Radio Frequency IDentification(RFID) receiver, a RF receiver, a pressure sensor, and a weight scale ormass balance.

Some embodiments described herein are associated with an “outputdevice”. As used herein, the term “output device” may generally refer toa device that is used to output information. An output device maycommunicate with and/or be part of another device. Some examples ofoutput devices may include, but are not limited to: a Cathode Ray Tube(CRT) monitor, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen, a Light EmittingDiode (LED) screen, a printer, an audio speaker (or other sound ornoise-producing device), an Infra-red Radiation (IR) transmitter, a RFtransmitter, a vibration device, an olfactory emitter, and/or a dataport.

It should be understood that some devices may function and/or operate asboth input and output devices. A touch-sensitive display device (or“touch screen”), for example, may both receive input by receivingpressure and/or electrostatic indications via a display screen and mayalso provide output such as graphics, text, and/or other data via thesame display screen.

Some embodiments herein are associated with “communication”. As usedherein, the term “communication” may refer to any information, data,and/or signal that is provided, transmitted, received, and/or otherwiseprocessed by an entity, and/or that is shared or exchanged between twoor more people, devices, and/or other entities. Communications may beexternal to one or more devices, internal (e.g., within a device and/orcomponent), wired, wireless, continuous, and/or intermittent.Communications may involve, for example, one or more of transmitting,receiving, relaying, processing, and/or otherwise interfacing withinformation and/or data. Some, but not all, possible communicationnetworks that may be utilized for such communications include: a LocalArea Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), the Internet, a telephoneline (e.g., a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)), a cable line, aradio channel, an optical communications line, and/or a satellitecommunications link. A variety of communications protocols may beutilized to facilitate and/or conduct such communications, including butnot limited to: Ethernet (or IEEE 802.3), Internetwork Packet ExchangeIPX), Service Advertising Protocol (SAP), Asynchronous Transfer Protocol(ATP), Bluetooth®, and/or Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/InternetProtocol (IP). Communications may be encrypted to ensure privacy andprevent fraud in any of a variety of ways that are or become known orpracticable.

Devices in communication with each other need not be continuallytransmitting to each other. On the contrary, such devices need onlytransmit to each other as necessary, and may actually refrain fromexchanging data most of the time. For example, a device in communicationwith another device via the Internet may not transmit data to the otherdevice for weeks at a time.

As used herein, the terms “information” and “data” may be usedinterchangeably and may refer to any data, text, voice, video, image,message, bit, packet, pulse, tone, waveform, and/or other type orconfiguration of signal and/or information. Information may be orinclude information packets transmitted, for example, in accordance withthe IP Version 6 (IPv6) standard as defined by “Internet ProtocolVersion 6 (IPv6) Specification” RFC 1883, published by the InternetEngineering Task Force (IETF), Network Working Group, S. Deering et al.(December 1995). Information may, according to some embodiments, becompressed, encrypted, and/or otherwise packaged or manipulated inaccordance with any method that is or becomes known or practicable.

In addition, some embodiments described herein are associated with an“indication”. As used herein, the term “indication” may be used to referto any indicia and/or other information indicative of or associated witha subject, item, entity, and/or other object and/or idea. As usedherein, the phrases “information indicative of” and “indicia” may beused to refer to any information that represents, describes, and/or isotherwise associated with a related entity, subject, or object. Indiciaof information may include, for example, a code, a reference, a link, asignal, an identifier, and/or any combination thereof and/or any otherinformative representation associated with the information. In someembodiments, indicia of information (or indicative of the information)may be or include the information itself and/or any portion or componentof the information. In some embodiments, an indication may include arequest, a solicitation, a broadcast, and/or any other form ofinformation gathering and/or dissemination.

As used herein, the term “coupled” may generally refer to any type orconfiguration of coupling that is or becomes known or practicable.Coupling may be descriptive, for example, of two or more objects,devices, and/or components that are communicatively coupled,mechanically coupled, electrically coupled, and/or magnetically coupled.The term “communicatively coupled” generally refers to any type orconfiguration of coupling that places two or more objects, devices,components, or portions, elements, or combinations thereof incommunication. Mechanical, electrical, and magnetic communications areexamples of such communications. The term “mechanically coupled”generally refers to any physical binding, adherence, attachment, and/orother form of physical contact between two or more objects, devices,components, or portions, elements, or combinations thereof.

The term “electrically coupled” indicates that one or more objects,devices, components, or portions, elements, or combinations thereof, arein electrical contact such that an electrical signal, pulse, or current(e.g., electrical energy) is capable of passing between the one or moreobjects, enabling the objects to electrically communicate with oneanother. In some embodiments, electrical coupling may enable electricalenergy to be transmitted wirelessly between two or more objects and/ordevices. The term “magnetically coupled” indicates that one or moreobjects, devices, components, or portions, elements, or combinationsthereof, are within one or more associated magnetic fields. Objects maybe electrically and/or magnetically coupled without themselves beingphysically attached or mechanically coupled. For example, objects maycommunicate electrically through various wireless forms of communicationor may be within (at least partially) a magnetic field, without beingphysically touching or even adjacent.

III. General Electrical Distribution Systems

Referring first to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a system 100 according tosome embodiments is shown. The various systems described herein aredepicted for use in explanation, but not limitation, of describedembodiments. Different types, layouts, quantities, and configurations ofsystems described herein may be utilized without deviating from thescope of some embodiments.

According to some embodiments, the system 100 may comprise one or morepower sources 102 that are coupled to provide electrical power to one ormore power distribution networks 104, which are commonly referred to aselectrical “grids”. Such electrical grids 104 may, in some embodiments,be coupled via inter-grid distribution lines 106. While such inter-gridpower transfer couplings are generally referred to as transmissionlines, it should be understood that other forms of inter-grid powertransfer couplings may also or alternatively be utilized, whether or notthey actually comprise lines, wires, or other physical electricalconduits (e.g., RF and/or microwave wireless power transmission).

In some embodiments, the system 100 may comprise one or more electricaldemands or loads and/or types of such loads to which the electrical grid104 provides electrical energy. The system 100 may comprise, forexample, a residential demand 110, a transportation demand 120, anindustrial demand 130, and/or a commercial demand 140. In someembodiments, the system 100 may comprise fewer or more types ofelectrical demands 110, 120, 130, 140 than are shown in FIG. 1.According to some embodiments, any of the various types of electricaldemands 110, 120, 130, 140 may be comprised of one or more electricalloads, nodes, and/or other types and/or configurations of electricaldemands.

In some embodiments, electrical energy from the one or more powersources 102 may be “intelligently” directed, via the grid 104 (and/orspecific components thereof not explicitly shown in FIG. 1), to selectedelectrical nodes or loads and/or to selected types of electrical demands110, 120, 130, 140. According to some embodiments, one or more of theelectrical demands 110, 120, 130, 140 may communicate with the grid 104to schedule specific known and/or estimated electrical demands or loads.Such scheduling may, for example, be configured to reduce the cost ofany such specific known and/or estimated electrical demands or loads(e.g., by taking advantage of time-of-day rates) and/or may beconfigured to more efficiently manage electrical generation (e.g., bythe one or more power sources 102) and/or transmission (e.g., via thegrid 104).

Turning to FIG. 2, a block diagram of a system 200 according to someembodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the system 200 may be similarin configuration and/or functionality to the system 100 of FIG. 1. Asshown in FIG. 2, for example, the system 200 may comprise ahydroelectric facility 202 coupled to provide power to a powerdistribution network/grid 204. The system 200 may also or alternativelycomprise transmission lines 206, which may for example, carry electricalenergy from the hydroelectric facility 202 to and/or through the grid204 and/or to one or more other grids (not shown in FIG. 2). Thetransmission lines 206 may also or alternatively carry electrical energyto one or more of a residential subdivision 210, an electric trainfacility 220 (e.g., a train station and/or electric train tracks—“third”rails and/or overhead lines), a factory 230, and/or an office building240. In some embodiments, any or all components 202, 204, 206, 210, 220,230, 240 of the system 200 may be similar in configuration and/orfunctionality to any similarly named and/or numbered components of FIG.1.

According to some embodiments, electrical energy from the hydroelectricfacility 202 may be “intelligently” directed by the grid 204 to, forexample, the office building 240. Such direction may be effectuated inresponse to one or more specific parameters such ed one or more specificcharacteristics associated with the hydroelectric facility 202 and/orthe office building 240. Such direction may be effectuated viamanagement of one or more electrical switching devices (not explicitlyshown in FIG. 2) or may only be “virtually” directed (or re-directed).The grid 204 may, for example, cause one or more electrical switches orgates to be activated (or deactivated), thus sending power from thehydroelectric facility 202 to the office building 240. Some or all ofthe electrical energy from the hydroelectric facility 202 may bedirected to the office building 240 in such a manner.

In some embodiments, the direction of the electrical energy may only be“virtual”. While no specific electrical switching may be effectuated,for example, and thus no specific electrical energy may be directed (orre-directed), the office building 240 may be specifically allotted anamount of energy produced by the hydroelectric facility 202. Such“virtual” redirection is similar to the currently utilized process ofallocating or attributing a certain amount of energy from a certain typeof power source to a specific customer and/or load (e.g., such as whenelectric utility customers designate that “their” energy come only fromrenewable power sources).

In some embodiments, the office building 240 (and/or the residentialsubdivision 210, the electric train facility 220, and/or the factory230) may be tasked with and/or configured to charge electric,hybrid-electric, and/or other types of vehicles. The parking lot shownat the office building 240 may, for example, be outfitted to charge oneor more vehicles (not shown in FIG. 2) parked therein. In suchembodiments, the office building 240 (and/or an entity associatedtherewith, such as a parking lot management company) may communicatewith the grid 204 to schedule and/or otherwise manage the charging ofthe vehicles.

IV. Electric Car Charging Systems

Referring to FIG. 3, for example, a block diagram of a system 300according to some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the system300 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to the systems100, 200 of FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 2 herein. As shown in FIG. 3, forexample, the system 300 may comprise a Power Supplying Entity (PSE)supply line 304 coupled to provide power to an Electrical ChargingSystem (ECS) 340. The ECS 340 may comprise one or more electrical meters342 a-b and/or a processor 346. In some embodiments, the ECS 340 mayalso comprise or be associated with a power management device 348. Thesystem 300 may also or alternatively comprise a parking lot 350containing one or more parked vehicles 360. In some embodiments, any orall components 304, 340 of the system 300 may be similar inconfiguration and/or functionality to any similarly named and/ornumbered components of FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 2 herein.

According to some embodiments, the system 300 may be utilized to provideelectrical charging services to the one or more vehicles 360. It shouldbe understood that fewer or more vehicles 360 than are shown in FIG. 3may be included in the system 300. In some embodiments, the ECS 340and/or the power management device 348 may communicate with one or moreof the vehicles 360 and/or may otherwise obtain information associatedwith the one or more vehicles 360. The ECS and/or the power managementdevice 348 may, for example, electronically receive information fromeach vehicle 360 and/or may communicate with a server and/or controller(neither of which is explicitly shown in FIG. 3) to receive informationassociated with each vehicle 360. Such information may then, forexample, be utilized to determine how and/or when to charge each vehicle360.

In some embodiments, the ECS 340 may communicate with a PSE (e.g., thatoperates and/or provides the supply line 304) to determine time-of-dayrates for purchasing electrical energy. The ECS 340 and/or the processor346 thereof may then, for example, utilize the time-of-day rateinformation to determine a schedule for charging the one or morevehicles 360, such that the schedule results in the lowest estimatedcost for charging the one or more vehicles 360. The ECS 340 may also oralternatively communicate with the PSE to otherwise develop a chargingschedule such as to facilitate management of electrical energygeneration (e.g., by assisting in flattening usage peaks or spikes) ormaking use of available excess capacity.

According to some embodiments, the processer 346 may communicate withthe electrical meters 342 a-b to determine where any electrical energyrequired by the ECS 340 should be drawn from. In some embodiments, theprocessor 346 may be included in a single device with one or more of theelectrical meters 342 a-b (e.g., the combination comprising a single“smart” meter). In the case that one or more of the vehicles 360comprise batteries and/or electrical generation capabilities (e.g.,solar panels), for example, the ECS 340 may have the option of drawingelectricity from the supply line 304 or the parking lot 350 (e.g., thecollective power available from the vehicles 360). In some embodiments,the processor 346 may determine which available source has cheaperand/or otherwise more desirable energy (e.g., from “green” sources).

In some embodiments, the power management device 348 may comprise one ormore transformers, inverters, filters, switches, gates, and/or otherelectrical load balancing and/or management devices. The powermanagement device 348 may comprise, for example, an inverter forconverting Alternating Current (AC) energy to Direct Current (DC)energy, and/or vice versa. It is anticipated, in accordance with someembodiments, that electric vehicles, hybrid-electric vehicles, and/orother vehicles requiring electrical charging (and/or providingelectrical energy) may be configured to require (and/or provide) DCenergy (e.g., provided to and/or from one or more batteries).

In some embodiments, the power management device 348 may manage thecharging of the vehicles 360. The In some embodiments, the powermanagement device 348 may, for example, communicate with the vehicles360 to determine charging requirements and/or may couple to the vehiclesto provide wired and/or wireless electrical energy transfer (e.g.,charging). In some embodiments, the power management device 348 may alsoor alternatively manage (alone or in coordination with or conjunctionwith the processor 346 and/or the electrical meters 342 a-b) the flow ofelectrical energy between the parking lot 350 and the ECS 340.

The power management device 348 may, such as in the case that at leastsome of the vehicles 360 are equipped to provide electrical energy(e.g., via electrical generation devices and/or from on-board storedenergy sources) for example, utilize any energy provided by one or morevehicles 360 to satisfy (in part or in whole) the charging demands ofone or more other vehicles 360. Any net extra energy provided by theparking lot 350 may then, for example, be provided for use by the ECS340 and/or for selling back to the PSE via the supply line 304.

Turning now to FIG. 4, a block diagram of a system 400 according to someembodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the system 400 may be similarin configuration and/or functionality to the systems 100, 200, 300 ofFIG. 1, FIG. 2, and/or FIG. 3 herein. As shown in FIG. 4, for example,the system 400 may comprise a PSE supply 404 coupled to provide power toan ECS 440. The ECS 440 may comprise various components such as aprocessor 446 and/or a data store 448. In some embodiments, the ECS 440may comprise and/or the PSE supply 404 may provide power directly to oneor more parking space charge devices 452. The ECS 440 may, in someembodiments, comprise one or more vehicle sensors 454. According to someembodiments, the system 400 may comprise one or more vehicles 460. Anyor all of the one or more vehicles 460 may comprise a vehicle chargedevice 462, a vehicle data store 464, and/or a communication device 466.The system 400 may also or alternatively comprise a server 470. In someembodiments, any or all components 404, 440, 446, 448, 460 of the system400 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to anysimilarly named and/or numbered components of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and/orFIG. 3 herein.

In some embodiments, the ECS 440 may be coupled to provide and/orreceive electric energy to/from the vehicle 460. As shown in FIG. 4, forexample, the parking space charge device 452 may be physically and/orelectrically coupled to the vehicle 460 and/or the vehicle charge device462 thereof. The parking space charge device 452 may, in someembodiments, comprise a wireless charging device configured and coupledto provide electrical energy to the vehicle 460 and/or the vehiclecharge device 462 and/or may comprise a physically coupling deviceconfigured to mate with the vehicle 460 and/or the vehicle charge device462.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle sensor 454 may be coupled(such as in and/or near a parking space) to detect an arrival,proximity, and/or presence of the vehicle 460. The vehicle sensor 454may, for example, comprise a magnetically actuated device that reacts tothe large volume of metal that many vehicles are comprised of, and/ormay comprise a pressure sensor (e.g., to detect the weight/mass of thevehicle 460), a motion sensor (which may include both electrical andnon-electric devices), and/or other electronic devices. In someembodiments, the vehicle sensor 454 may comprise a communication devicesuch as a Bluetooth® and/or passive-inductive device that is operable todetect the presence of the vehicle 460 utilizing wireless interrogationmethodologies. In such a manner, for example, the vehicle sensor 454 maycommunicate with the communication device 466 and/or the vehicle datastore 464, both of the vehicle 460.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle sensor 454 may receive datafrom the communication device 466 and/or the vehicle data store 464. Thevehicle sensor 454 may receive, for example, an indication of anidentifier of the vehicle 460 such as a Vehicle Identification Number(VIN), a license plate number, an electric utility account number, anEZ-Pass® account and/or tag number, and/or another identifier or accountnumber such as a PayPal® account number. Such identifying informationmay be stored, for example, in the vehicle data store 464 and may becommunicated directly to the vehicle sensor 454 of the ECS 440 or viathe communication device 466 of the vehicle 460. In some embodiments,other information may also or alternatively be provided by the vehicle460 to the ECS 440. Preference data defining, at least in part forexample, desired vehicle charging parameters, charging schedules, and/orrules regarding how, when, and/or where (e.g., designating specificparking spaces and/or parking lots) the vehicle 460 should be chargedand/or how, when, and/or where electrical energy should be received fromthe vehicle 460 (e.g., via generation of energy by the vehicle 460and/or via discharging of one or more batteries or capacitors on thevehicle 460).

In some embodiments, preference data may be received from the vehicle460 (e.g., as stored in the vehicle data store 464 and/or may beretrieved and/or looked-up in the data store 448 of the ECS 440 and/orvia the server 470. The processor 446 may, for example, utilize anidentifier of the vehicle 460 (e.g., received by the vehicle sensor 454)to query the vehicle data store 464, the data store 448, and/or theserver 470. Preference data associated with the identifier of thevehicle 460 may accordingly be identified, selected, retrieved, and/orotherwise determined (e.g., encoded and/or encrypted identificationand/or preference data may be retrieved and then decoded and/ordecrypted as needed).

According to some embodiments, the processor 446 may utilize theidentification and/or preference data to determine, select, calculate,and/or otherwise derive a charging schedule for the vehicle 460.Similarly, in the case that the vehicle 460 is configured to provideelectrical energy to the ECS 440, the processor 446 may utilize theidentification and/or preference data to determine, select, calculate,and/or otherwise derive a schedule and/or routine (e.g., rules-basedstrategy) for receiving electrical energy from the vehicle 460.

In some embodiments, the processor 446 may determine (e.g., bycommunicating with the PSE associated with the PSE supply 404) availablemarket rates (e.g., a time-of-day and/or usage-based rate schedule) forpurchasing electrical energy from the PSE supply 404. The processor 446may utilize such rate information in combination with the identificationand/or preference information, for example, to determine the mostcost-effective schedule for charging the vehicle 460. In the case thatthe preference information includes an indication of how much energy isdesired to be stored by the vehicle 460 by a certain time, the processor446 may calculate an estimated time to achieve the desired charge andmay identify when, during the available charging window (e.g., a timewindow bounded by the current time and the desired total charge endtime) would be most cost effective (e.g., cheapest) to acquire thedesired estimated charge.

According to some embodiments, such as in the case one or more vehicles460 in a parking lot (and/or adjacent lots or otherwise within aproximity) are scheduled to charge while one or more other vehicle 460are scheduled to provide electrical energy to the ECS 440, the processor446 may determine the charging schedule of a vehicle 460 based at leastin part on information regarding electrical energy provisioning by oneor more other vehicles 460. In the case that it is determined that avehicle 460 requires an amount of charge ‘A’, for example, and that oneor more other vehicles 460 are estimated to be capable of providing theamount of charge ‘A’, the processor 446 may determine that the mostcost-effective way of providing the charge to the vehicle 460 is todirect electrical energy from the one or more providing vehicles 460 tothe vehicle in need of charge. A rate table and/or other rate and/orcost information associated with and/or descriptive of the provision ofelectrical energy from one or more vehicles 460 (e.g., directly) to oneor more other vehicles 460 may be utilized to facilitate a determinationof whether purchasing power from the PSE would be more or lesscost-effective than purchasing and/or otherwise acquiring the requiredpower from distributed generation sources such as other vehicles 460parked nearby (e.g., more near than the nearest source utilized by thePSE).

In some embodiments, such as in the case that the server 470 managesand/or coordinates multiple ECS 440 facilities, the server 470 maycommunicate with the PSE supply 406 (and/or another or different deviceowned and/or operated by the PSE) to determine and/or facilitatedetermination and/or calculation of vehicles charging schedules. In sucha manner, for example, the server 470 may be able to negotiate betterrates and/or sooner charging times with the PSE by leveraging bulkelectrical energy purchasing.

According to some embodiments, vehicle identification information and/orvehicle charging preferences and/or parameters may be communicated tothe server 470 (and/or data store 448 of the ECS 440) via thecommunication device 466 of the vehicle 460. An operator of the vehicle460 whom defines and/or provides such identification and/or preferenceinformation, for example, may utilize a navigational and/or othertouch-screen or communication device 466 of the vehicle 460 to select,program, define, and/or transmit the desired data. In some embodiments,the communication device 466 may comprise a wireless and/or cellularcommunication device 466 such as an OnStar® system and/or a cellulartelephone operated in proximity to the vehicle 460 (e.g., connectedthrough the vehicle via Bluetooth® technology such as utilized byUconnect® systems).

Referring to FIG. 5, a block diagram of a system 500 according to someembodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the system 500 may be similarin configuration and/or functionality to the systems 100, 200, 300, 400of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and/or FIG. 4 herein. As shown in FIG. 5, forexample, the system 500 may comprise a PSE supply line 504 coupled toprovide power to an ECS 540. The ECS 540 may comprise various componentssuch as a meter 542. In some embodiments, the ECS 540 may compriseand/or the PSE supply line 504 may provide power directly to a powermanagement device 548. In some embodiments, the ECS 540 may also oralternatively generate power such as via one or more distributedgeneration devices 544 (such as internal combustion generators,batteries, and/or renewable energy generators such as wind, hydro,and/or solar (as shown) generators).

The ECS 540 may, in some embodiments, comprise and/or be associated witha parking lot 550 comprising one or more parking space charge devices552 a-b and/or one or more vehicle sensors 554 a-b. According to someembodiments, the system 500 may comprise one or more vehicles 560 a-b.Any or all of the one or more vehicles 560 a-b may comprise a vehiclecharge device 562 a-b. Some vehicles 560 a-b (or all vehicles 560 a-b),such as the first vehicle 560 a depicted in FIG. 5, may comprise avehicle charge device 560 a-1 that is operable to generate and/orotherwise provide electrical energy (e.g., to the ECS 540 and/or to thePSE supply line 506). In some embodiments, any or all components 504,540, 542, 548, 550, 552 a-b, 554, 560 a-b, 562 a-b of the system 500 maybe similar in configuration and/or functionality to any similarly namedand/or numbered components of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and/or FIG. 4herein.

In some embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 5, the ECS 540 may comprisean office and/or other building that includes and/or is otherwiseassociated with the parking lot 550 for vehicles 560 a-b. The officebuilding 540 may typically receive electrical power from the PSE supplyline 506 via the power management device 548, which may comprise (asdepicted) a transformer (e.g., to step-down the voltage of the PSEsupply line 506 to the desired voltage for utilization by the officebuilding 540). The electrical energy flowing from the transformer 548into the office building 540 may generally be monitored, tabulated,and/or recorded by the meter 542. In some embodiments, such as in thecase that the office building 540 generates electrical power, such asvia the distributed generation solar panels 544, the meter 542 may alsomonitor, tabulate, and/or record electrical energy provided and/or soldback to the PSE supply line 506 (e.g., a meter 542 than can recordbi-directional electrical flow and/or that can run backwards). In thecase that the power management device 548 functions as an inverter toconvert DC energy produced by the solar panels 544 into AC energy, themeter 542 may be positioned on the PSE-side of the electrical circuit(e.g., as opposed to the ECS-side of the circuit as shown in FIG. 5).

In some embodiments, the parking space charge devices 552 a-b may bepositioned and/or configured to provide electrical energy from the PSEsupply line 504 and/or the transformer/inverter 548 to the vehicles 560a-b. As shown in FIG. 5, the parking space charge devices 552 a-b may beprovided in various forms and/or configurations. A first parking spacecharge device 552 a may comprise a fixed-position, shock-absorbingelectrical contact device that is designed to physically andelectrically couple with the first vehicle 560 a, for example. The firstvehicle charge device 562 a of the first vehicle 560 a may be configuredto mate and/or otherwise couple with the first parking space chargedevice 552 a such as by utilizing flat-plate contact and/or other formsof electrical connections (e.g., male/female connections of any know orpracticable type).

According to some embodiments, a second parking space charge device 552b may simply comprise an electrical outlet that is configured to accepta second vehicle charge device 562 b of the second vehicle 560 b.Further, while not specifically or explicitly depicted in FIG. 5, aparking space charge device 552 a-b may be configured to providewireless transmission of electrical power to and/or from a vehicle 560a-b.

In some embodiments, the vehicle charge device 562 a-1 may comprise anelectrical energy generation device (such as the hood-mounted/integratedsolar panels as shown in FIG. 5) that is coupled to provide power to thefirst parking space charge device 552 a. According to some embodiments,the vehicle charge device 562 a-1 may comprise any device capable ofproviding electrical energy such as a battery, a capacitor, an enginepowering an alternator, a wind power device, etc.

In some embodiments, as described herein, the vehicle sensors 554 a-bmay detect a proximity and/or presence of the vehicles 560 a-b and/ormay communicate with the vehicles 560 a-b (e.g., to receive and/orretrieve vehicle identification information and/or charging preferenceinformation). As shown in FIG. 5, a first vehicle sensor 554 a maycomprise a pressure sensor oriented and/or configured to detect aphysical coupling of the first vehicle charge device 562 a to the firstparking space charge device 552 a. In some embodiments, a second vehiclesensor 554 b may comprise a ground-integrated pressure sensor (e.g., todetect the weight/mass of a parked second vehicle 560 b) and/or maycomprise a magnetically-actuated device to detect the presence of largemetal/ferrous components typically to be integrated into the secondvehicle 560 b. In some embodiments, the second vehicle sensor 554 b maycomprise a plurality of different types of sensors and/or may also oralternatively comprise an electronic communication device such as aBluetooth® transceiver and/or a camera. The second vehicle sensor 554 bmay also or alternatively be utilized as a parking space charge device552 a-b that, for example, provides wireless power transmission fromunderneath the second vehicle 560 b.

V. Electric Car Charging Interfaces

Turning now to FIG. 6, a perspective diagram of a system 600 accordingto some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the system 600 may besimilar in configuration and/or functionality to the systems 100, 200,300, 400, 500 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and/or FIG. 5 herein.The system 600 may comprise, for example, a vehicle 660 (a portion ofthe interior of which is depicted in FIG. 6) comprising a communicationdevice 666. In some embodiments, the communication device 666 mayprovide a plurality of available menu options 668 a-d. The system 600may comprise, in some embodiments, a user device 680 comprising one ormore menu options 682 and/or one or more charging preference options 684a-c.

In some embodiments, the system 600 may be utilized to setup, define,store, and/or update or change preference, option, and/or parameter datathat is utilized by an ECS (not shown in FIG. 6) to determine how, when,and/or where to transfer electrical energy to and/or from the vehicle660. An operator of the user device 680 may, for example, select themenu option 682 (and the user device 680 may receive an indication ofsuch selection), which is depicted as being a menu option defining asituation of a pet being in the vehicle 660. The operator may then, forexample, (i) determine whether it is desired that the vehicle 660 onlybe allowed to be charged in such a circumstance—as opposed to allowingthe vehicle 660 to provide and/or sell stored and/or vehicle-generatedpower (e.g., the first preference option 684 a), (ii) determine whetherit is desired that the operator be notified if the current charge levelof the vehicle 660 falls below a level that allows the Air Conditioning(A/C) to remain on for fifteen (15) minutes (e.g., the second preferenceoption 684 b), and/or (iii) determine whether it is desired that theoperator be notified if the temperature inside the vehicle 660 climbsabove seventy (70) degrees (e.g., the third preference option 684 c).

In such a manner, for example, the user device 680 may receiveindications of the desired parameters to be utilized in governingcharging (and/or electrical transmission from) the vehicle 660. The userdevice 660 may then, for example, transmit indications of suchpreferences to a central server (not shown in FIG. 6; such as the server470 of FIG. 4) and/or transmit indications of such preferences to thevehicle 660 (e.g., via the communication device 666). An ECS mayaccordingly access such preference data and utilize the data to manage,define, and/or govern how, when, and/or where electrical energy istransmitted to and/or from the vehicle 660.

In some embodiments, such preference data may be defined, stored,managed, and/or updated or changed via the communication device 666. Theoperator of the vehicle 660 may, for example, select a first menu option668 a to define settings regarding desired charge levels, chargingtimes, desired travel distances and/or itineraries, etc. The operator ofthe vehicle 660 may also or alternatively select a second menu option668 b to define settings regarding rules and/or parameters governing howelectrical energy should be sold to the ECS. The operator of the vehicle660 may also or alternatively select a third menu option 668 c to definesettings regarding rules and/or parameters governing how electricalenergy should be received and/or provided and/or what types of alertsshould be established when a pet is on the vehicle (e.g., similar to themenu option 682 shown on the user device 680). The operator of thevehicle 660 may also or alternatively select a fourth menu option 668 dto access current charge levels, battery statistics, charging history,electrical energy purchase and/or sale history, account balanceinformation, etc.

Turning now to FIG. 7, a diagram of an exemplary interface 700 accordingto some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the exemplaryinterface 700 may be utilized in conjunction with and/or to effectuateand/or facilitate operation of the systems 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and/or FIG. 6 herein. Theexemplary interface 700 may comprise, for example, a Uniform ResourceLocator (URL) address bar 702 that shows the current Internet address ofthe displayed interface 700, a personalized welcome bar 704, and/orvarious menu and/or tab option such as a “main” menu item 706, a “MyAccount” menu item 708, a “charging history” menu item 710, and/or a“help” menu item 712.

The “My Account” menu item 708 may generally, for example, contain datadescriptive of account setup and/or preference data such as billingparameters, contact information, etc. The “charging history” menu item710 may generally contain data descriptive of metrics regarding how,when, and/or where a vehicle has been interfaced with an ECS. The “help”menu item 712 may generally provide data regarding help and assistancefor using the interface 700 and/or for setting up various vehiclecharging parameters and/or preferences.

In some embodiments, the “main” menu item 706 may comprise a “dashboard”and/or primary screen via which vehicle charging parameters may beestablished, stored, viewed, and/or changed. The “main” menu item 706may comprise, for example, a vehicle charge indicator 714 that visuallyindicates a current charge level 716 of the vehicle. Similarly, adesired charge percent level 718 may be both shown and alterable. A usermay select the desired charge percent level 718, for example, and mayslide the marker on the vehicle charge indicator 714 to a new describedlocation and/or may utilize the exemplary up/down arrow controls toincrease or decrease the desired charge percent level 718.

The user may also or alternatively view and/or change the desired chargerange level 720. An estimate of how far the vehicle can travel on agiven charge amount (which may be a general average and/or may becomputed based on a specific itinerary and/or past driving habits) canbe determined, for example, and utilized to express the desired chargelevel in terms of distance capable of being traveled. In such a manner,for example, a user may determine a desired distance to travel (e.g.,how far it is from home to work or vice versa) and may set the desiredcharge range level 720 to match the desired distance.

In some embodiments, the “main” menu item 706 may comprise a time tocharge definition field 722. Knowing, for example, that the vehicle willbe sitting in a parking lot at the user's workplace for the next six (6)hours, an ECS may determine when would be most cost-effective and/orotherwise desirably during that charging window to provide the necessaryelectrical energy to the vehicle. In some embodiments, the ECS maydetermine that the window is too short to provide the necessary charge(e.g., even if the entire charging window was to be utilized to chargethe vehicle) and may notify (e.g., via the interface 700) the user ofthe potential problem/deficiency. As shown in FIG. 7, the time to chargedefinition field 722 may provide the user with several options such asdefining the time to charge in terms of number of parked hours expectedand/or in terms of expected departure time.

In some embodiments, the “main” menu item 706 may comprise a monetarycharge setting field 724. The monetary charge setting field 724, forexample, may allow the user to specify whether the vehicle should becharged as much as possible during the charging window and/or otherwisecharged regardless of energy rate costs, whether the vehicle should becharged “intelligently” during the charging window to minimize energyrate costs (e.g., taking advantage of time-of-day energy rates), and/orwhether the vehicle should be allowed to sell energy to make money forthe user (e.g., by providing energy generated by the vehicle and/or bydepleting battery levels of the vehicle to some specified minimumamount).

In some embodiments, the “main” menu item 706 may comprise a factor ofsafety field 726 via which the user may set a factor of safety to beutilized in calculations regarding charging levels and schedules for thevehicle. The “main” menu item 706 may also or alternatively comprisecontact information 728 for the user. The contact information 728 may beutilized by the interface 700 (and/or an ECS), for example, to sendalerts and/or messages to the user and/or other designated parties. The“main” menu item 706 may comprise, for example, an alerts field 730 thatallows the use to specify various conditions and/or events that maytrigger alerts and/or actions with respect to the vehicle. The user mayturn “All Alerts On”, for example, and/or may individually activate (i)charge thresholds (e.g., minimum, maximum, and/or desired chargethresholds), (ii) rate thresholds (e.g., minimum, maximum, and/ordesired rate thresholds), (iii) internal temperature thresholds e.g.,minimum, maximum, and/or desired temperature thresholds), and/or (iv)vehicle diagnostics (e.g., poor battery health, low oil, low tirepressure, alarm conditions, and/or maintenance reminders).

As shown in FIG. 7, the “main” menu item 706 may comprise a “pet in car”button 732. The “pet in car” button 732 may, for example, automaticallyset alerts and/or charge parameters to levels conducive to maintainingthe comfort and safety of a pet left in a parked vehicle. In such amanner, for example, a user may safely leave a pet in a parked vehicleby establishing and/or setting charging parameters designed to keep theNC on to maintain a cool vehicle and/or to keep the heat on to maintaina warm vehicle (e.g., depending upon the relevant season and/or externalweather conditions).

The interface 700 may receive indications of any or all desiredparameters, options, and/or settings designated and/or defined by auser. Such information may then, for example, be stored in relation toan identifier of the vehicle and/or the user and may accordingly beutilized by an ECS (or a plurality of ECS facilities) to mangetransmission of electrical energy to and/or from one or more desirevehicles.

VI. Processes

Various embodiments will now be described with references to methods,procedures, and/or processes associated with some embodiments. Themethods, procedures, and/or processes described herein may generally beperformed by any of the systems 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 of FIG. 1,FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and/or FIG. 6 and/or any of the manycomponents and/or specific devices described herein. Otherconfigurations of systems and devices may also or alternatively beutilized to perform the methods described herein without deviating fromthe scope of some embodiments. The procedures described herein do notnecessarily imply a fixed order to the actions, and embodiments may beperformed in any order that is practicable. Note that any of the methodsdescribed herein may be performed by hardware, software (includingmicrocode), firmware, or any combination thereof. For example, a storagemedium may store thereon instructions that when executed by a machineresult in performance according to any of the embodiments describedherein.

Referring to FIG. 8, for example, a flow diagram of a method 800according to some embodiments is shown. The method 800 may be performed,for example, by an ECS and/or one or more components thereof asdescribed herein. In some embodiments, the method 800 may comprisereceiving (e.g., from a vehicle sensor) information indicative of apresence of a vehicle in a parking space, at 802. The sensor may detectproximity of the vehicle via motion sensing, pressure sensing, lightsensing, metal detecting, and/or wireless electronic transmissionsensing, for example. In some embodiments, the sensor may detect anactual physical coupling of the vehicle to a charge management device,may detect an electrical coupling of the vehicle to the chargemanagement device, and/or may detect and/or analyze a positioning of thevehicle (e.g., to determine whether the vehicle is properly positioned,oriented, and/or outfitted for charging services).

The method 800 may also or alternatively comprise receiving (e.g., froma communication device of a vehicle) information indicative of anidentifier of the vehicle, at 804. Vehicle identification informationmay be read and/or scanned from a camera image of the vehicle or aportion thereof (e.g., a license plate and/or a VIN area), for example,and/or may be electrically determined such as by receiving signals fromthe vehicle. In some embodiments, charging preference and/or parameterinformation may also or alternatively be obtained. The vehicleidentifier may be utilized to look-up the preference information, forexample, and/or the preference information may be directly provided.

The method 800 may also or alternatively comprise determining, based atleast on the information indicative of the identifier of the vehicle, acharging schedule for the vehicle, at 806. The preference informationstored in relation to the vehicle identification information may, forexample, be utilized to determine one or more rules and/or parametersthat govern electrical transmissions to and/or from the vehicle (and/ora group or class of vehicles). In some embodiments, an ECS and/orcontrol system may calculate, based on the charging parameters and/opreferences, how much energy the vehicle needs, how much energy isdesired for the vehicle, when the needed and/or desired charge levelsshould be reached by, desired charging rate cost thresholds, etc.

The method 800 may also or alternatively comprise charging, inaccordance with the charging schedule, the vehicle, at 808. One or moreparking space charge devices may, for example, couple to provide (and/orreceive) electrical energy from the vehicle in accordance with thedetermined schedule and/or regimen.

Referring to FIG. 9, a flow diagram of a method 900 according to someembodiments is shown. The method 900 may be performed, for example, byan ECS and/or one or more components thereof as described herein. Insome embodiments, the method 900 may comprise determining an estimatedamount of power required to charge a plurality of vehicles to desiredlevels, at 902. Utilizing information received and/or determinedregarding the plurality of vehicles, for example, the ECS may compute anestimated amount of energy required to satisfy the desired chargingregimens of the plurality of vehicles and/or an estimated amount of timerequired to achieve and/or implement such charging regimens.

The method 900 may also or alternatively comprise providing (e.g., via acommunication device), to a PSE, information indicative of the requiredpower, at 904. The requirements and/or estimates determined and/orcalculated at 902, for example, may be provided to the PSE.

The method 900 may also or alternatively comprise receiving (e.g., viathe communication device), from the PSE, information indicative of atime when a best available rate will be available to purchase therequired power, at 906. The PSE may analyze the charging requirementinformation provided by the ECS and may provide a suggested schedule tothe ECS. In some embodiments, the information provided by the PSE maysimply comprise rate and/or usage information, and the ECS may utilizesuch information to formulate and/or derive appropriate chargingschedules.

The method 900 may also or alternatively comprise charging, at theindicated time and via a plurality of vehicle charging devices, theplurality of vehicles, at 908. The charging at 908 may, in someembodiments, be similar to the charging conducted at 808 of the method800 herein.

Referring to FIG. 10, a flow diagram of a method 1000 according to someembodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the method 1000 may comprisedetermining an electrical load that requires electrical power, at 1002.A processor may determine an electrical draw on a circuit, for example,and/or may communicate with an entity associated with a load (e.g., anECS and/or an electric vehicle) to determine the requirements of theload.

The method 1000 may also or alternatively comprise determining aplurality of available sources of electrical power, at 1004. An ECSand/or “intelligent” electric switching device may, for example, beprovided with a list of available power sources and/or may query todetermine and/or discover available sources of power.

The method 1000 may also or alternatively comprise determining acharacteristic of each of the plurality of available sources of power,at 1006. Various characteristics such as voltage, amperage, availablequantity, consistency of generation, cost, generation type, and/ordistance to the load (e.g., either “as-the-crow-flies” or along one ormore specific electrical traces and/or transmission paths) may, forexample, be looked-up and/or determined. In some embodiments,information transmitted with electrical energy may provide some or allof the characteristic information.

The method 1000 may also or alternatively comprise selecting, based atleast in part on the determined characteristics of the plurality ofavailable sources of power, one or more of the available sources ofpower, at 1008. One or more stored rules may govern, for example, how apreferred power source is selected. In some embodiments, preferred powersources may comprise power sources that are located closer to theelectrical load than other power sources. Such power sources may be moredesirable, for example, due to the smaller amount of losses (andaccordingly, increased efficiency) associated with delivering power fromsuch sources to the load.

In some embodiments, the “greenness” and/or relative environmentalfriendliness of energy produced by a specific power source may bedetermined as a characteristic. Preferred power sources may then, forexample, comprise renewable energy sources (e.g., regardless of distancefrom the load), taking into account externalities that may otherwise notbe taken into account when operating electrical switching equipment. Insome embodiments, various characteristics may be scored and powersources may be assigned an overall point total. The power source listingmay then be ranked, for example, and the highest ranking power source(or the highest ranking number of power sources; e.g., the top three(3)) may be selected as the preferred power source(s).

The method 1000 may also or alternatively comprise activating at leastone of the one or more electrical switches to cause electrical powerfrom the selected one or more of the available sources of power to beprovided to the electrical load, at 1010.

VII. Other Details of Embodiments

A. Wireless Charging Nodes

A parking space or other expanse suitable for maintaining an automobilein a generally stationary fashion is equipped with a means forwirelessly charging an automobile. Various methods for wirelesslytransmitting an electrical charge are known including, but not limitedto, resonant inductive coupling, and wireless microwave transmission. Inaddition, a company referred to as Powercast™ has demonstrated powertransmission for quite a distance using RF (Radio Frequency) technologyto beam EM waves in a direction to a transceiver which then converts theEM waves back to electricity. While described with reference to varioustechnologies for enabling the wireless transmission of electricalenergy, the exemplary embodiments described are not limited to anyparticular mode or process of such wireless transmission. Rather, theinvention is broadly drawn to encompass any and all technologies thatfacilitate or otherwise enable the provision of electricity, electricalenergy, and/or electrical power from a source to a receiver without aphysical connection (i.e., a wire or other physical electricityconducting medium) between the source and receiver. While manyembodiments described herein are directed to wireless charging and/orenergy transmission between vehicles and a power grid, some embodimentsherein may be practiced utilizing plug-in and/or physical coupling toprovide energy transmission. Load distribution, balancing, and/orpricing embodiments may, for example, be practiced in conjunction withany electrical transmission apparatus that is or becomes known orpracticable (e.g., not limited to wireless charging and/ortransmissions).

When an automobile is positioned within a distance suitable for theprovision of wireless electrical power, the provision of electricalpower is enabled. In one embodiment, electrical power is wirelesslytransmitted from a transmitter positioned underground or flush with thesurface of the ground or pavement. In another embodiment, a transmitteris configured around the periphery of a space such that it is insufficient proximity to a parked or stationary automobile to enable thetransmission of electrical power.

The presence of an automobile may be sensed, as by a pressure sensor orvia short range electronic communication such as Bluetooth or the like.In the latter instance, data may be transmitted between the automobileand a transceiver associated with the electrical transmitter. Such datamay include, for example, a unique automobile identifier (e.g., aVehicle Identification Number (VIN)), an account identifier (e.g., acredit card account, bank account, EZ-Pass® Account, Pay-Pal® Account,and/or electrical supplier account), and user selected parametersdefining user charging preferences.

For example, upon pulling up to a space enabled/operable to provideelectricity in a wireless fashion from one or more transmitters embeddedflush with the surface of the pavement, a sensor receives aninterrogation signal sent via Bluetooth® from the automobile sent asfunction of the automobile being put into park (and/or put into neutral,the parking brake being engaged, the engine being shut off, and/or thekey being turned to a specific position—e.g., position “IV” may comprisea position dedicated to indicating that the driver describes to activateone or more charging and/or power transmission sequences). The sensorreceives an identifier of the automobile and interfaces with a centralserver to retrieve account information of an owner of the automobile.Likewise, such information can be stored in a memory device associatedwith the automobile and sent to the sensor. In addition, either sentfrom the automobile or retrieved from a server using the identifier, thesensor receives information regarding parameters defining how theautomobile is to be charged. For example, such information might definea maximum rate willing to be paid for electricity. In addition, suchinformation might specify a time by which the car is to be a certainpercent charged. For example, a user may have specified that the car isnot to be charged if the cost of electricity is over $0.10/kWh. The usermay also have specified that the automobile needs to be 80% charged atthe end of eight hours. In some embodiments, the user may indicate adesired charging level (and/or a desired charging level may beautomatically calculated) based on a desired distance of travel. In thecase that the vehicle/charging facility is located 20 miles from thedriver's home, for example, the driver (and/or the vehicle or chargingstation) may determine that the vehicle should be charged to have enoughpower to travel the 20 miles home (with or without a factor of safetyand/or reserve travel capacity).

In the above example, the information may be entered into a centralserver for retrieval by the electrical charging system (ECS)(comprisingthe sensor and means for electrical charging), such as via a web pageconfiguration page accessible by the driver or entered into theautomobile such as via a dashboard based interface. Any other well knownmethod incorporating a graphical user interface (GUI) may be employed toenter data into the automobile based memory or server. For example, aniPhone® interface may communicate via Bluetooth® with a memory deviceand processor resident in the automobile to make and/or change parameterselections. [Microsoft Sync . . . ]

Once the information is received, the ECS operates to determine anappropriate charging schedule. For example, a driver parks his car in aspace having an ECS. The driver knows that his car will sit in the spaceall work day, hence the chosen charging duration of eight hours. TheECS, perhaps relying on other retrieved information specifying thecharging characteristics of the automobile, computes that it will takeapproximately three hours of charging to charge the automobile to aminimum of 80% charged. The ECS, via communication with the powersupplier, determines that the present cost of electricity is $0.12/kWhbut will fall to $0.09/kWh in two hours. The system therefore waits fortwo hours before charging the automobile for approximately three hours.

In addition to computing and implementing a charging regimen to meet theuser specified parameters, the ECS can communicate with the user/driverto alert the driver to potential problems. For example, with referenceto the example above, the ECS may determine that the cost of electricitywill be below $0.10/kWh for only two of the next eight hours. The ECSmay send a message to this effect to the user via a user specified node,such as a message on a dashboard display device, a message sent to acell phone, an email account or the like. The user may be enabled toreply so as to modify or override a predetermined parameter selection.For example, the user may relax the maximum price for electricityattribute. In addition, the predefined parameter selections may includedirections for actions to be taken when the predetermined chargingregime cannot be met.

When charging is enabled, the system stores and makes accessibleinformation regarding the operation of the ECS. For example, theuser/driver can access real time (or near real time) charginginformation via a web page interface. For example, the user may enter auserid and password to view charging/account information. The viewableinformation may be maintained by the entity supplying the electricalpower and/or by the proprietor of the ECS (which may be the sameentity). The user may see that, at present, the ECS has scheduledcharging to begin in two hours and proceed for the next three hours at arate of $0.085/kWh at which time the automobile will be 80% charged. Atsuch time, the user may change selected parameters, such as the degreeof desired charging and request an updated charging profile. Forexample, the user may change the requested charge percentage to be 100%.In response, ECS recomputes a charging regimen for display to theuser/driver.

In the above described manner, the driver predefines a charging profilethat is read and acted upon the ECS without required further input fromthe user/driver. By employing a central server, the charging regimen canbe maintained as the user/driver leaves one ECS and parks at anotherECS.

B. Load Balancing

As noted briefly above, when computing a charging regimen to match theuser defined charging parameters, the ECS may communicate with a systemor systems operated by the power supplying entity (PSE). In this manner,load balancing can be affected. For example, by communicating with thepower supplier, the ECS may be able to obtain/“lock in” a desirableprice for electricity at present or at a time in the future. Forexample, at peak times when electricity is most expensive, the PSE mayinform the ECS that it will commit to providing three hours ofelectricity at $0.085/kWh in two hours provided that it not provide anyelectricity for the next two hours. If thousands of cars are incommunication with a PSE via an ECS and are somewhere within a chargingregimen at any one time, such a shifting of the provision of electricityto a future time operates to balance the load at the PSE so as betterobtain maximally efficient electricity generation.

□Such load balancing may be implemented in real time. For example, ifthe PSE experiences an unexpected peak consumption requiring theinefficient firing up of additional electricity providing elements, thePSE can communicate with the ECSs to request a delay in providingelectricity to automobiles. With reference to the above example, the ECShas determined that the automobile requires only three hours over thecourse of the next eight hours to charge the automobile to the requestedlevel. As a result, the ECS can delay providing electricity to theautomobile for up to five hours as load balancing requires.

In one embodiment, electric cars are power generating entities. Forexample, the top and sides of an automobile may be fitted with solarpanels. A typical automobile so outfitted may comprise approximately 60ft2 of solar panels. In addition, solar panels can be extended toincorporate more surface area, for example, when the automobile issubstantially stationary. When parked outside, as in an outdoor parkinglot with individual spaces configured to contain ECSs, a modest sizedparking lot full of automobiles fitted with solar panels can generate arelatively large amount of electricity.

When fitted with solar panels, the ECS can operate to receiveelectricity from an automobile. For example, a user/driver may storeamongst the preselected charging attributes that he will sellelectricity generated by his automobile at a minimum price of $0.11/kWhor at any price when the automobile does not need to be charged. Forexample, to shed some load, a PSE, currently charging $0.14/kWh requeststhe ECSs to delay the charging of five hundred cars. The ECSs reply thatfive hundred cars can be delayed and, in addition, two hundred cars(perhaps some of which are included in the five hundred) have thecapacity to sell electricity at various prices because they are eitheralready charged or have specified a preference to sell electricity whenpossible (for the sake of simplicity, in the present example, they allagree to sell at $0.11/kWh). The PSE instructs the ECSs to receiveelectricity from the two hundred automobiles while crediting theaccounts of the users/drivers providing electricity.

In another embodiment, the automobiles using the ECS are not electriccars but have likewise been fitted with solar panels and equipmentsrequired to transmit electricity to an ECS. One problem with encouragingthe widespread use of solar panels, such as on the roofs of existinghouses, is the large cost of installation and maintenance. By installingsolar panels at an automobile factory, economies of scale areintroduced. In addition, the surfaces of an automobile are readilyaccessible for maintenance purposes. In addition, most automobiles spendextended periods of time exposed to sunlight during the daylight hours.If exposed while connected to an ECS, such automobiles provide a large,at present untapped, source of electricity. Furthermore, if suchautomobiles are provided with a battery to store power when away from anECS, the stored power can be transferred to a PSE via an ECS whenpossible.

C. Energy Costs

Electrical energy costs are typically comprised of two components: (i)an electrical energy generation charge, and (ii) an electrical energytransmission charge. While electrical energy generation charges varydepending upon the supplier of electrical energy (e.g., customerschoosing to be supplied solely by renewable sources may pay more thancustomers receiving a mix of electrical energy), transmission chargesare generally fixed. In some embodiments, electrical energy transmissioncosts may vary depending upon various factors such as a distance of anelectrical load from one or more electrical sources. Electric vehiclesprovided with electrical charging energy from an ECS, for example, maybe charged one transmission rate for electrical energy that comes fromthe PSE (e.g., “the grid”), while they may be charged a second (andlikely lower) transmission rate for electrical energy supplied by othervehicles coupled to the ECS (e.g., since there is a very shorttransmission distance and/or very small transmission losses). Similarly,an office building receiving energy from an ECS in an adjacent parkinglot may pay little or no transmission costs while it may pay standardtransmission costs when purchasing power from the grid/PSE.

In some embodiments, the actual distance between loads and sources maybe utilized to calculate an appropriate transmission charge and/or tolook-up an appropriate transmission charge in a pre-stored table and/orother data store. According to some embodiments, other factors such astotal expected transmission losses, installation and/or maintenancecosts of utilized transmission components, etc., may be utilized todetermine an appropriate transmission rate or cost. While a load maypull energy from a nearby source, for example, a transmission means suchas an undersea cable or microwave transmission tower may compriserelatively expensive infrastructure that causes the transmission rate tobe higher than if the source pulled power from a further source fromwhich power could be delivered via a much less expensive means (e.g., astandard utility pole and power line configuration). In someembodiments, the cheapest available electrical transmission rate may bedetermined and/or the associated source(s) may be selected as the mostappropriate source from which power should be supplied. According tosome embodiments, the transmission route via which the smallest expectedlosses will occur may be determined and/or selected. In such a manner,for example, the power grid may be most efficiently managed to reducetransmission losses and maximize availability and usage of availablepower.

In some embodiments, the ‘quality’ of available electricity/energy fromvarious sources may be compared and/or analyzed to determine from whichavailable power source the power should be supplied. Some power sourcesand/or transmission means may provide power that is more consistent(e.g., with respect to supplied frequency, voltage, and/or amperage)than power/energy provided from other sources. For critical loads suchas power supply to hospitals, for example, the closest power source maycomprise an ECS from an adjacent parking lot/parking garage, but thatsource may provide intermittent and/or otherwise lower-quality energythan, say, a large hydropower facility several miles (or more) away,that is estimated to be capable of consistently providing steady and/orhigh quality power for longer periods of time (e.g., at night and/orduring inclement weather). According to some embodiments, the ‘quality’may also or alternatively be determined based on various externalitiessuch as perceived environmental benefits and/or “greenness” of availablepower and/or power choices perceived to benefit the locality/localeconomy (e.g., coal power may be preferred and/or selected for a sourcein a small town in western Pennsylvania, even though other sources maybe cheaper, higher quality, closer, and/or “greener”, because the localand/or state or regional economy may be determined to be best served bypurchasing relatively “local” products).

In some instances, electricity generated by solar panels attached to oneor more automobiles in communication with one or more ECS may provideenough electricity to fully charge all of the automobiles incommunication with the ECS. For example, the parking lot of a singleoffice building may install an ECS that enables charging at a pluralityof parking spaces. The automobiles utilizing the ECS may provide enoughelectricity, via solar panels, to meet all of the charging needs of theautomobiles and may then divert additional electricity to the building.

Various exemplary embodiments described above allow for a multi-tieredapproach to utilizing an ECS wherein additional benefits are realizedwith each additional tier of functionality. Such benefits include, butare not limited to, the following:

-   -   First, enabling the charging of automobiles (EVS) and other        vehicles in a variety of environments allows for the charging of        vehicles in an efficient manner. For example, vehicles typically        remain parked in a single place for long periods of time each        day. The ECS and described methods for using the ECS permit a        vehicle to recharge, generally, throughout the day at times most        convenient to the owner/operator of the vehicle. In the instance        that the charging is enabled via wireless charging, the        additional effort required by the operator of the vehicle is        negligible;    -   Second, when the ECS is capable of communicating with the        automobile, data may be exchanged to control the charging        process. User defined preferences, stored at the automobile, on        a server, or at any location accessible by the ECS can direct        the charging process. In addition to enabling charging according        to user defined preferences, the ECS may enable access by the        user, such as via a web page, to view the charging status of the        automobile in real time. By accessing profile information        indicative of the individual performance of the automobile (such        as prior charging times, battery life, battery performance,        etc.), the ECS can customize the charging process as desired;    -   Third, when the ECS is enabled to communicate with a power        generating entity, load balancing is enabled. In the scenario        where millions of automobiles utilize an ECS, thus substantially        shifting energy consumption from petroleum based products in the        form of gasoline, diesel fuel and the like to nuclear or coal        generated electricity, exemplary embodiments enable load        balancing to, for example, permit the efficient operation of        such electricity generating facilities; and    -   Fourth, when automobiles incorporate solar panels, electricity        can be generated and added to the grid, or otherwise utilized to        power entities in communication with the ECS, via the ECS.

VIII. Rules of Interpretation

Numerous embodiments are described in this disclosure, and are presentedfor illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments are not, andare not intended to be, limiting in any sense. The presently disclosedinvention(s) are widely applicable to numerous embodiments, as isreadily apparent from the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the artwill recognize that the disclosed invention(s) may be practiced withvarious modifications and alterations, such as structural, logical,software, and electrical modifications. Although particular features ofthe disclosed invention(s) may be described with reference to one ormore particular embodiments and/or drawings, it should be understoodthat such features are not limited to usage in the one or moreparticular embodiments or drawings with reference to which they aredescribed, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The present disclosure is neither a literal description of allembodiments nor a listing of features of the invention that must bepresent in all embodiments.

Neither the Title (set forth at the beginning of the first page of thisdisclosure) nor the Abstract (set forth at the end of this disclosure)is to be taken as limiting in any way as the scope of the disclosedinvention(s).

The term “product” means any machine, manufacture and/or composition ofmatter as contemplated by 35 U.S.C. § 101, unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The terms “an embodiment”, “embodiment”, “embodiments”, “theembodiment”, “the embodiments”, “one or more embodiments”, “someembodiments”, “one embodiment” and the like mean “one or more (but notall) disclosed embodiments”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “the invention” and “the present invention” and the like mean“one or more embodiments of the present invention.”

A reference to “another embodiment” in describing an embodiment does notimply that the referenced embodiment is mutually exclusive with anotherembodiment (e.g., an embodiment described before the referencedembodiment), unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “including”, “comprising” and variations thereof mean“including but not limited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise.

The term “plurality” means “two or more”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The term “herein” means “in the present disclosure, including anythingwhich may be incorporated by reference”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The phrase “at least one of”, when such phrase modifies a plurality ofthings (such as an enumerated list of things) means any combination ofone or more of those things, unless expressly specified otherwise. Forexample, the phrase at least one of a widget, a car and a wheel meanseither (i) a widget, (ii) a car, (iii) a wheel, (iv) a widget and a car,(v) a widget and a wheel, (vi) a car and a wheel, or (vii) a widget, acar and a wheel.

The phrase “based on” does not mean “based only on”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. In other words, the phrase “based on” describesboth “based only on” and “based at least on”.

Where a limitation of a first claim would cover one of a feature as wellas more than one of a feature (e.g., a limitation such as “at least onewidget” covers one widget as well as more than one widget), and where ina second claim that depends on the first claim, the second claim uses adefinite article “the” to refer to the limitation (e.g., “the widget”),this does not imply that the first claim covers only one of the feature,and this does not imply that the second claim covers only one of thefeature (e.g., “the widget” can cover both one widget and more than onewidget).

Each process (whether called a method, algorithm or otherwise)inherently includes one or more steps, and therefore all references to a“step” or “steps” of a process have an inherent antecedent basis in themere recitation of the term ‘process’ or a like term. Accordingly, anyreference in a claim to a ‘step’ or ‘steps’ of a process has sufficientantecedent basis.

When an ordinal number (such as “first”, “second”, “third” and so on) isused as an adjective before a term, that ordinal number is used (unlessexpressly specified otherwise) merely to indicate a particular feature,such as to distinguish that particular feature from another feature thatis described by the same term or by a similar term. For example, a“first widget” may be so named merely to distinguish it from, e.g., a“second widget”. Thus, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers “first” and“second” before the term “widget” does not indicate any otherrelationship between the two widgets, and likewise does not indicate anyother characteristics of either or both widgets. For example, the mereusage of the ordinal numbers “first” and “second” before the term“widget” (1) does not indicate that either widget comes before or afterany other in order or location; (2) does not indicate that either widgetoccurs or acts before or after any other in time; and (3) does notindicate that either widget ranks above or below any other, as inimportance or quality. In addition, the mere usage of ordinal numbersdoes not define a numerical limit to the features identified with theordinal numbers. For example, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers“first” and “second” before the term “widget” does not indicate thatthere must be no more than two widgets.

When a single device or article is described herein, more than onedevice or article (whether or not they cooperate) may alternatively beused in place of the single device or article that is described.Accordingly, the functionality that is described as being possessed by adevice may alternatively be possessed by more than one device or article(whether or not they cooperate).

Similarly, where more than one device or article is described herein(whether or not they cooperate), a single device or article mayalternatively be used in place of the more than one device or articlethat is described. For example, a plurality of computer-based devicesmay be substituted with a single computer-based device. Accordingly, thevarious functionality that is described as being possessed by more thanone device or article may alternatively be possessed by a single deviceor article.

The functionality and/or the features of a single device that isdescribed may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devicesthat are described but are not explicitly described as having suchfunctionality and/or features. Thus, other embodiments need not includethe described device itself, but rather can include the one or moreother devices which would, in those other embodiments, have suchfunctionality/features.

Devices that are in communication with each other need not be incontinuous communication with each other, unless expressly specifiedotherwise. On the contrary, such devices need only transmit to eachother as necessary or desirable, and may actually refrain fromexchanging data most of the time. For example, a machine incommunication with another machine via the Internet may not transmitdata to the other machine for weeks at a time. In addition, devices thatare in communication with each other may communicate directly orindirectly through one or more intermediaries.

A description of an embodiment with several components or features doesnot imply that all or even any of such components and/or features arerequired. On the contrary, a variety of optional components aredescribed to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of thepresent invention(s). Unless otherwise specified explicitly, nocomponent and/or feature is essential or required.

Further, although process steps, algorithms or the like may be describedin a sequential order, such processes may be configured to work indifferent orders. In other words, any sequence or order of steps thatmay be explicitly described does not necessarily indicate a requirementthat the steps be performed in that order. The steps of processesdescribed herein may be performed in any order practical. Further, somesteps may be performed simultaneously despite being described or impliedas occurring non-simultaneously (e.g., because one step is describedafter the other step). Moreover, the illustration of a process by itsdepiction in a drawing does not imply that the illustrated process isexclusive of other variations and modifications thereto, does not implythat the illustrated process or any of its steps are necessary to theinvention, and does not imply that the illustrated process is preferred.

Although a process may be described as including a plurality of steps,that does not indicate that all or even any of the steps are essentialor required. Various other embodiments within the scope of the describedinvention(s) include other processes that omit some or all of thedescribed steps. Unless otherwise specified explicitly, no step isessential or required.

Although a product may be described as including a plurality ofcomponents, aspects, qualities, characteristics and/or features, thatdoes not indicate that all of the plurality are essential or required.Various other embodiments within the scope of the described invention(s)include other products that omit some or all of the described plurality.

An enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does notimply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unlessexpressly specified otherwise. Likewise, an enumerated list of items(which may or may not be numbered) does not imply that any or all of theitems are comprehensive of any category, unless expressly specifiedotherwise. For example, the enumerated list “a computer, a laptop, aPDA” does not imply that any or all of the three items of that list aremutually exclusive and does not imply that any or all of the three itemsof that list are comprehensive of any category.

Headings of sections provided in this disclosure are for convenienceonly, and are not to be taken as limiting the disclosure in any way.

“Determining” something can be performed in a variety of manners andtherefore the term “determining” (and like terms) includes calculating,computing, deriving, looking up (e.g., in a table, database or datastructure), ascertaining, recognizing, and the like.

A “display” as that term is used herein is an area that conveysinformation to a viewer. The information may be dynamic, in which case,an LCD, LED, CRT, Digital Light Processing (DLP), rear projection, frontprojection, or the like may be used to form the display. The aspectratio of the display may be 4:3, 16:9, or the like. Furthermore, theresolution of the display may be any appropriate resolution such as480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p or the like. The format of informationsent to the display may be any appropriate format such as StandardDefinition TeleVision (SDTV), Enhanced Definition TV (EDTV), HighDefinition TV (HDTV), or the like.

The information may likewise be static, in which case, painted glass maybe used to form the display. Note that static information may bepresented on a display capable of displaying dynamic information ifdesired. Some displays may be interactive and may include touch screenfeatures or associated keypads as is well understood.

A control system, as that term is used herein, may be a computerprocessor coupled with an operating system, device drivers, andappropriate programs (collectively “software”) with instructions toprovide the functionality described for the control system. The softwareis stored in an associated memory device (sometimes referred to as acomputer readable medium). While it is contemplated that anappropriately programmed general purpose computer or computing devicemay be used, it is also contemplated that hard-wired circuitry or customhardware (e.g., an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) maybe used in place of, or in combination with, software instructions forimplementation of the processes of various embodiments. Thus,embodiments are not limited to any specific combination of hardware andsoftware.

A “processor” means any one or more microprocessors, Central ProcessingUnit (CPU) devices, computing devices, microcontrollers, digital signalprocessors, or like devices. Exemplary processors are the INTEL PENTIUMor AMD ATHLON processors.

The term “computer-readable medium” refers to any medium thatparticipates in providing data (e.g., instructions) that may be read bya computer, a processor or a like device. Such a medium may take manyforms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media,and transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example, opticalor magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media includeDRAM, which typically constitutes the main memory. Transmission mediainclude coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including thewires that comprise a system bus coupled to the processor. Transmissionmedia may include or convey acoustic waves, light waves andelectromagnetic emissions, such as those generated during RF and IR datacommunications. Common forms of computer-readable media include, forexample, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, anyother magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, Digital Video Disc (DVD), any otheroptical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium withpatterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, a USB memorystick, a dongle, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave asdescribed hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer canread. The terms “computer-readable memory” and/or “tangible media”specifically exclude signals, waves, and wave forms or other intangiblemedia that may nevertheless be readable by a computer.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carryingsequences of instructions to a processor. For example, sequences ofinstruction (i) may be delivered from RAM to a processor, (ii) may becarried over a wireless transmission medium, and/or (iii) may beformatted according to numerous formats, standards or protocols. For amore exhaustive list of protocols, the term “network” is defined belowand includes many exemplary protocols that are also applicable here.

It will be readily apparent that the various methods and algorithmsdescribed herein may be implemented by a control system and/or theinstructions of the software may be designed to carry out the processesof the present invention.

Where databases are described, it will be understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art that (i) alternative database structures to thosedescribed may be readily employed, and (ii) other memory structuresbesides databases may be readily employed. Any illustrations ordescriptions of any sample databases presented herein are illustrativearrangements for stored representations of information. Any number ofother arrangements may be employed besides those suggested by, e.g.,tables illustrated in drawings or elsewhere. Similarly, any illustratedentries of the databases represent exemplary information only; one ofordinary skill in the art will understand that the number and content ofthe entries can be different from those described herein. Further,despite any depiction of the databases as tables, other formats(including relational databases, object-based models, hierarchicalelectronic file structures, and/or distributed databases) could be usedto store and manipulate the data types described herein. Likewise,object methods or behaviors of a database can be used to implementvarious processes, such as those described herein. In addition, thedatabases may, in a known manner, be stored locally or remotely from adevice that accesses data in such a database. Furthermore, while unifieddatabases may be contemplated, it is also possible that the databasesmay be distributed and/or duplicated amongst a variety of devices.

As used herein a “network” is an environment wherein one or morecomputing devices may communicate with one another. Such devices maycommunicate directly or indirectly, via a wired or wireless medium suchas the Internet, LAN, WAN or Ethernet (or IEEE 802.3), Token Ring, orvia any appropriate communications means or combination ofcommunications means. Exemplary protocols include but are not limitedto: Bluetooth™, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code DivisionMultiple Access (CDMA), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM),Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), General Packet RadioService (GPRS), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), Advanced Mobile Phone System(AMPS), Digital AMPS (D-AMPS), IEEE 802.11 (WI-FI), IEEE 802.3, SAP,SAS™ by IGT, OASIS™ by Aristocrat Technologies, SDS by Bally Gaming andSystems, ATP, TCP/IP, GDS published by the Gaming Standards Associationof Fremont Calif., the best of breed (BOB), system to system (S2S), orthe like. Note that if video signals or large files are being sent overthe network, a broadband network may be used to alleviate delaysassociated with the transfer of such large files, however, such is notstrictly required. Each of the devices is adapted to communicate on sucha communication means. Any number and type of machines may be incommunication via the network. Where the network is the Internet,communications over the Internet may be through a website maintained bya computer on a remote server or over an online data network includingcommercial online service providers, bulletin board systems, and thelike. In yet other embodiments, the devices may communicate with oneanother over RF, cable TV, satellite links, and the like. Whereappropriate encryption or other security measures such as logins andpasswords may be provided to protect proprietary or confidentialinformation.

Communication among computers and devices may be encrypted to insureprivacy and prevent fraud in any of a variety of ways well known in theart. Appropriate cryptographic protocols for bolstering system securityare described in Schneier, APPLIED CRYPTOGRAPHY, PROTOCOLS, ALGORITHMS,AND SOURCE CODE INC, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2d ed., 1996, which isincorporated by reference in its entirety.

The term “whereby” is used herein only to precede a clause or other setof words that express only the intended result, objective or consequenceof something that is previously and explicitly recited. Thus, when theterm “whereby” is used in a claim, the clause or other words that theterm “whereby” modifies do not establish specific further limitations ofthe claim or otherwise restricts the meaning or scope of the claim.

It will be readily apparent that the various methods and algorithmsdescribed herein may be implemented by, e.g., appropriately programmedgeneral purpose computers and computing devices. Typically a processor(e.g., one or more microprocessors) will receive instructions from amemory or like device, and execute those instructions, therebyperforming one or more processes defined by those instructions. Further,programs that implement such methods and algorithms may be stored andtransmitted using a variety of media (e.g., computer readable media) ina number of manners. In some embodiments, hard-wired circuitry or customhardware may be used in place of, or in combination with, softwareinstructions for implementation of the processes of various embodiments.Thus, embodiments are not limited to any specific combination ofhardware and software.

The present disclosure provides, to one of ordinary skill in the art, anenabling description of several embodiments and/or inventions. Some ofthese embodiments and/or inventions may not be claimed in the presentapplication, but may nevertheless be claimed in one or more continuingapplications that claim the benefit of priority of the presentapplication. Applicant intends to file additional applications to pursuepatents for subject matter that has been disclosed and enabled but notclaimed in the present application.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electric vehicle comprising: a rechargeablebattery; a bi-directional wired connector adapted to (i) receive a firstelectric charge from a charging device associated with a building, (ii)store the first electric charge in the rechargeable battery, and (iii)transmit a second electric charge from the rechargeable battery to thebuilding via the charging device; a processing device; and anon-transitory memory device in communication with the processingdevice, the non-transitory memory storing instructions that whenexecuted by the processing device, result in: transmitting an alert toan operator of the electric vehicle when a predetermined minimum chargelevel is present in the rechargeable battery.
 2. The electric vehicle ofclaim 1, wherein the transmitting of the alert comprises transmittingthe alert to a smart phone in possession of the operator of the electricvehicle.
 3. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the instructions,when executed by the processing device, further result in: receiving, inresponse to the transmitting of the alert, charging instructions fromthe operator of the electric vehicle governing the transmission of thesecond electric charge from the rechargeable battery to the building viathe charging device.
 4. The electric vehicle of claim 3, wherein thecharging instructions are received from a smart phone in possession ofthe operator of the electric vehicle.
 5. The electric vehicle of claim1, wherein the first electric charge is derived from one or more solarpanels.
 6. The electric vehicle of claim 5, wherein the one or moresolar panels are situated in proximity to the building.
 7. The electricvehicle of claim 5, wherein the one or more solar panels are situatedupon a generally planar surface of the electric vehicle.
 8. The electricvehicle of claim 1, wherein receiving the first electric charge issuspended based, at least in part, on a current cost of electricity. 9.The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the secondelectric charge is suspended based, at least in part, on a current costof electricity.
 10. An electric vehicle comprising: a rechargeablebattery; a first wired connector adapted to (i) receive a first electriccharge from a charging device associated with a building, (ii) store thefirst electric charge in the rechargeable battery, and (iii) transmit asecond electric charge from the rechargeable battery to another electricvehicle via a second wired connector; a processing device; and anon-transitory memory device in communication with the processingdevice, the non-transitory memory storing instructions that whenexecuted by the processing device, result in: transmitting an alert toan operator of the electric vehicle when a predetermined minimum chargelevel is present in the rechargeable battery while the second electriccharge is transmitted from the rechargeable battery to the otherelectric vehicle.
 11. The electric vehicle of claim 10, wherein thetransmitting of the alert comprises transmitting the alert to a smartphone in possession of the operator of the electric vehicle.
 12. Theelectric vehicle of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed bythe processing device, further result in: receiving, in response totransmitting the alert, charging instructions from the operator of theelectric vehicle governing the transmission of the second electriccharge from the rechargeable battery to the other vehicle via the secondwired connector.
 13. The electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein thecharging instructions are received from a smart phone in possession ofthe operator of the electric vehicle.
 14. The electric vehicle of claim10, wherein the first electric charge is derived from one or more solarpanels.
 15. The electric vehicle of claim 14, wherein the one or moresolar panels are situated upon a generally planar surface of theelectric vehicle.
 16. The electric vehicle of claim 10, whereinreceiving the first electric charge is suspended based, at least inpart, on a current cost of electricity.
 17. The electric vehicle ofclaim 10, wherein transmitting the second electric charge is suspendedbased, at least in part, on a current cost of electricity.
 18. A firstelectric vehicle comprising: a first rechargeable battery; one or moreprocessing devices; and a non-transitory memory device in communicationwith the one or more processing devices and the rechargeable battery,the non-transitory memory device storing instructions that when executedby the one or more processing devices, result in: enabling the provisionof a first electric charge to the first rechargeable battery from asource of electric charge; receiving a request from a second electricvehicle comprising a second rechargeable battery for the provision of asecond electric charge; and enabling the provision of the secondelectric charge from the first rechargeable battery to the secondelectric vehicle.
 19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein thefirst electric vehicle is adapted to receive the first electric chargefrom a charging unit adapted to be positioned generally flush with ahorizontal surface and to wirelessly transmit power via a process ofinduction.
 20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the enablingof the provision of the first electric charge depends, at least in part,on a determination that the first electric vehicle is positionedgenerally over the charging unit.
 21. The electronic device of claim 20,wherein the provision of the first electric charge is automaticallyenabled based, at least in part, on the determination that the firstelectric vehicle is positioned generally over the charging unit.
 22. Theelectronic device of claim 18, wherein the provision of the firstelectric charge to the first rechargeable battery is performed in awireless manner.